Workers and organizations are benefitting from this about-turn to a flexible work environment.
There is an assumption that a shift back to the office is necessary for collaboration, trust and productivity. Companies that would not have considered remote work prior to the pandemic have some type of hybrid remote workplace model. Organizations like Ford, Slack, Google and a host of others have experienced the success of remote work. But, there are some who have revealed that they have no plans of even implementing flexible work policies post-pandemic. However, these organizations are missing out because the advantages of a hybrid remote workforce are clear.
One, the work from home benefit is a perk that organizations must see as one of the effective ways of retaining and acquiring talent.
This is a perk that would not only enhance productivity, but also contribute to increased job satisfaction. The forced shutdown of the physical office to work from home caused many people to reevaluate their quality of life. Workers were balancing taking care of kids at home and job responsibilities. Many people would consider taking a pay cut to continue to have some type of work from home arrangement.. There is also the added benefit of contributing a positive change to the green environment-with workers cutting their commuting times, there is less impact of pollution into the environment.
Two, the sentiment that only physical proximity promotes collaboration and productivity is a misconception.
In fact, a McKinsey & Company survey reported that 41 percent of employees stated that they were more productive working remotely than in the office. Remote work fosters the ability to focus due to less distractions and a quieter work environment. There is also no need for remote staff to fear this “Out of sight out of mind” philosophy. The technology is here for ample communications (video chats) with coworkers and managers to maintain cohesiveness and foster collaboration.
This will involve companies taking a step back to evaluate their business models in the way they acquire talent and technology. With the use of platforms like Google Docs, Slack, Teams, etc. a commonplace to store files and collaborate is seamless. In this regard, everyone will be well-informed and aware of what everyone is working on. It’s time for organizations to get with new ways of thinking about what productivity actually is. Management will have to be intentional about creating unified communication processes and well-documented procedures to make this hybrid remote model work.
Three, company culture plays a major part in making hybrid remote workplace successful.
Culture isn’t where a person is-it’s a mindset. Leaders set the tone for the organization. There are major points to ponder as the need to rethink certain aspects of the business is critical. Facets of the business to create a less rigid and more human working environment would be the focal point. It will take reimagining reward programs, performance reviews, onboarding processes, etc. for current and new workers. This will result in determining what truly makes a valuable worker and attracting the right talent.
Value is a key measurement here: What does this person bring to the business as opposed to the number of hours spent sitting in the office? The quality of their skills and ability to solve problems in an innovative way goes a long way in retaining talent. In essence, the heartbeat of any organization is its workers. Therefore it is important now more than ever for a company to redefine what kind of organization to be.
Four, there is the thought that due to physical distance remote teams require increased levels of trust.
This is a misnomer because trust issues occurred long before the hybrid remote workforce. Trusting the remote team to perform the job they were hired to do is an integral part of building team cohesion. The absence of trust hampers productivity and discourages workers from operating at their highest potential, especially in creating innovative solutions. Such fear is resolved with the use of collaboration tools that make it easy to stay current on the latest updates from the team. Another way to discourage this attitude is through building relationships through authentic team meetups for a full day or towards the end of the workday.
It is also misleading to assume that there will never be a time for workers to gather for in-person activities. As the number of vaccinations continues to increase, we are seeing a gradual reopening of offices and other public places. There will be a time when in-person social events will reconvene. Workers will have flexibility to meet with their on-site office colleagues or managers over coffee which will provide additional “face time” and the sense of belonging as applicable to that individual. The coffee meet does not necessarily need to be in the office. Consideration for the proximity workers are to the office is imperative. Teams can mutually agree to meet up at a café in a convenient location .
As we have already seen during the pandemic, people are resilient and adaptable and so are organizations. This fast shift to working at home was unimaginable to most companies, but it was done successfully. The global workforce shifted. Companies will now have to revamp and review their current business models with effort and intentionality. This open-minded approach is sure to attract the right talent and retain happy workers.